I had to watch this again to respond, because I have a mind like a steel sieve, and also because I'm procrastinating instead of washing my kitchen floor which needs to be done like woah.
*Yep, treasury secretary first. I like the idea of Warren Buffet. Whoever he/she is, it's very possible that the choice is already made and the transition team isn't ready to make the announcement. I doubt the issue's been ignored.
*It seems like she's there because of her knowledge of the auto industry--he calls her an "expert" on the subject, and I guess she'd have to be. I have no idea, since I know less than nothing about the woman. *Googles her* Apparently you're not the only one who doesn't like her. If her rep is that bad, I'm guessing that the auto industry is what she'll be consulting about (and hopefully any support given there will be done with for the sake of the zillions of jobs that could be lost and not to line the CEO's pockets), and not how to fix the national debt.
*His campaign promise wasn't to raise taxes, it was to cut taxes for the middle class and eliminate capital gains taxes for small business owners.
As for the differences within his own party, it sounds like it's not such an uncommon occurence. I didn't hear him mention any names. Sure, Nancy and Harry are members of his party--but so are Joe Lieberman and the Blue Dog Democrats. He'll absolutely have to make some compromises in the spirit of bipartisanship, as well as maintaining equilibrium within the Democratic party. And anyway, I don't think he's the radical lefty some label him (for instance, what he calls "universal healthcare",isn't the single-payer national/state healthcare that more left-leaning politicians would like). Obama's a liberal, but he's no Dennis Kucinich.
*I know doodley-squat about economics. Obviously the last stimulus package didn't work (I spent mine on bills), but I couldn't give you an alternative that might be better because, see above about doodley-squat. Obama's got a heck of a lot of people advising him, you'd think if there were a better idea they'd have mentioned it to him. Also, corporations are evil. Just as a matter of course. It's relevant to nothing, except that hello, America, the government isn't running things, the corporations are. (*leaves NAFTA rant for another day*)
*I don't think he dodged the question at all. He said that how to deal with a country like Iran is an issue that shouldn't be done in a knee-jerk fashion, and also that such dealings would be an international effort. He also reiterates that he's not the President yet and doesn't want to send "the wrong message to the world", which I take to mean a message that the current President no longer has authority. (ETA: My nephew calls Ahmadinejad "I'm a dinner jacket". I'm thoroughly amused, and use the term as often as possible)
*He showed plenty of passion during the campaign. I'm guessing his calm demeanor is an attempt to a. be professional and b. Calm the post-election furor with an injection of down-to-businessness.
no subject
*Yep, treasury secretary first. I like the idea of Warren Buffet. Whoever he/she is, it's very possible that the choice is already made and the transition team isn't ready to make the announcement. I doubt the issue's been ignored.
*It seems like she's there because of her knowledge of the auto industry--he calls her an "expert" on the subject, and I guess she'd have to be. I have no idea, since I know less than nothing about the woman. *Googles her* Apparently you're not the only one who doesn't like her. If her rep is that bad, I'm guessing that the auto industry is what she'll be consulting about (and hopefully any support given there will be done with for the sake of the zillions of jobs that could be lost and not to line the CEO's pockets), and not how to fix the national debt.
*His campaign promise wasn't to raise taxes, it was to cut taxes for the middle class and eliminate capital gains taxes for small business owners.
As for the differences within his own party, it sounds like it's not such an uncommon occurence. I didn't hear him mention any names. Sure, Nancy and Harry are members of his party--but so are Joe Lieberman and the Blue Dog Democrats. He'll absolutely have to make some compromises in the spirit of bipartisanship, as well as maintaining equilibrium within the Democratic party. And anyway, I don't think he's the radical lefty some label him (for instance, what he calls "universal healthcare",isn't the single-payer national/state healthcare that more left-leaning politicians would like). Obama's a liberal, but he's no Dennis Kucinich.
*I know doodley-squat about economics. Obviously the last stimulus package didn't work (I spent mine on bills), but I couldn't give you an alternative that might be better because, see above about doodley-squat. Obama's got a heck of a lot of people advising him, you'd think if there were a better idea they'd have mentioned it to him. Also, corporations are evil. Just as a matter of course. It's relevant to nothing, except that hello, America, the government isn't running things, the corporations are. (*leaves NAFTA rant for another day*)
*I don't think he dodged the question at all. He said that how to deal with a country like Iran is an issue that shouldn't be done in a knee-jerk fashion, and also that such dealings would be an international effort. He also reiterates that he's not the President yet and doesn't want to send "the wrong message to the world", which I take to mean a message that the current President no longer has authority. (ETA: My nephew calls Ahmadinejad "I'm a dinner jacket". I'm thoroughly amused, and use the term as often as possible)
*He showed plenty of passion during the campaign. I'm guessing his calm demeanor is an attempt to a. be professional and b. Calm the post-election furor with an injection of down-to-businessness.